Folding coop



(N5 Modem J. E; MARQUIS.

FOLDING'GOOP.

Patente-d Nov. 26, ,1895.

.Attorney UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

vJOSEPH E. MARQUIS, OF LAYMAN, OHIO.

FOLDING COOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. ,518, dated November 26, 1895.

Application ledAugnSt 3, 1895. Serial No. 558,073. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. MARQUIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Layman, in the county of Washington and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Coops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the 'accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of coop. Fig. 2 is a side velevation of same folded. Fig. 3 is a detail of gate.

This invention more particularly relates to certain new and useful improvements upon the coop described and claimed in my Patent No. 482,644, dated September 18, 1894, an object being to provide improved means for holding the coop in upright position, whereby it is greatly strengthened and the operation of setting up or folding the coop greatly fa' cilitated.

Other objects are founded on details of construction which will presently be described.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

A designates the bottom of the coop, which is usually of wood and solid.

B designates a series of parallel wires, which compose, mainly, the sides and top of the coop. These wires are each of 1 form,

their horizontal arms ce forming the top of the A coop and their vertical arms t the sides thereof. The lower end portions of each wire are bent outwardly and are loosely engaged with openings formed in longitudinal cleats C, one of which is secured to each lateral edge portion of the bottom A upon the upper face thereof. Said wires are secured against withdrawal from said cleats by having their ends bent upwardly, as indicated at c. By bending these wires outwardly and securing them in this Inanner the cleats form a guard for the wires in both the upright and folded positions. On the top of the coop the horizontal arms pass loosely through a series of longitudinal cleats D, there being one of these cleats a `into a series of parallel U -loops, whose closed ends loosely engage staples d at the bottom, part of them loosely engaging similar staples at the top upon a cross-bar F and the rest of them loosely passing through the end portions yof the cleats D.

G G are cross cleats, one at each end, through which the vertical arms of the wires E pass, said cleats being of the double form and securely clamping the wires between them.

H- H are sliding bars, which not only serve to hold the coop in its upright position, but which also serve to stiffen the sides of the coop and prevent bending or spreading of the wires. Said bars are placed longitudinally, one upon the sideof the coop and upon the outside thereof, their inner faces being formed with a series of vertical grooves for the wires, which are held therein by means of longitudinal wires g, secured along the inner faces of the bars. When said bars are slid down on the sides of the coop into the position shown in the drawings, their end portions resting upon the end portions of the cross-cleats G G, it is obvious that the coop will be held in rigid upright position, lsince the wires B cannot be rocked endwise. When, however, saidbars are slid up onto the top of the coop, side by side with the cleats D, these wires are released, and the coop may be folded by an endwise parallel movement into the iiat compact relation shown in the drawings, since all the wires of the coop are free to turn on their bearings. To secure them in this compact form, small angular wires K may be provided, said wires being held loosely in the outer cleats D, one or more upon each side, and arranged when the coop is folded to pass through slots la in the bottom, where a partial turn of the wires forms a lock, as will be clearly understood by reference to the drawings.

In the top of the coop, usually at the center, several of the wires are cut away between the two intermediate cleats D in order to form an opening for a gate L. Said gate consists of a piece of boardwhose transverse lOO edges are formed with grooves Z, which receive the wires next to the opening. Pins m pre-` vent the gate from being disengaged from the wire at one end, provision being made whereby the gate may be slid on said Wire suiciently to admit the engagement With or disengagement from the Wire at the opposite end in opening or closing.

n is a hook which may be employed to lock the gate closed.

The above construction provides a coop which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost, which is of strong and rigid character when in use, affording plenty of light and air to the fowls, and one which can be returned from market without occupying much room and free from danger of breakage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a folding coop, the combination with a bottom portion and the angular, pivoted wires which form the sides and top of the coop, of a longitudinal bar upon each side of the coop, said bar having a loose engagement with sai d wires and arranged to slide from the vertical onto the horizontal portions thereof, and reversely, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a folding coop, the combination of the bottom, having the lateral cleats upon its upper surface, and the series of angular wires Whose end portions are bent outwardly and secured in loose engagement with said cleat, the double top longitudinal cleats and the sliding, locking and stiifening bars extending longitudinally of the coop one upon each side, and loosely engaging the said wires, being adapted to slide from the vertical to the horizout-al portions thereof, and reversely, substantially asy specified.

3. The herein described folding coop, comprising the bottom, its lateral cleats, the angular wires forming the sides and top of the coop, and Whose end portions are bent out- Wardlyinto loose engagement with said cleats, the double top cleats or bars in which said Wires have a loose bearing, the slidable locking and stiening bars on said angular wires, the end portions formed of wires bent into U -loops stilfened by transverse bars and having loose bearings at the top and bottom, and a gate in the top of said coop, said slidable locking and stiifening bars being arranged one upon each side of the coop, longitudinally thereof, and adapted to be slid from the vertical to the horizontal portions of said wires, and reversely, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH E, MARQUIS. NVitn csses CLARA M. TRACY, XVM. T. TRACY. 

